thats an idea i have not heard of, and it sounds bloody interesting. as i acknowledge you know more than most on the subject do you have one of your fantastic village maps showing why the tunnels were used? i would love to know more.

thats an idea i have not heard of, and it sounds bloody interesting. as i acknowledge you know more than most on the subject do you have one of your fantastic village maps showing why the tunnels were used? i would love to know more.

Can't really show a map of anything because I don't know the details of their locations. A typical fogou was sometimes located in a small iron age ditch and boundary settlement. A typical settlement would consist of 3-4 round houses built of timber mud and straw, a couple of enclosures for animals such as cattle, goats and chickens. Size is typically about perhaps 50 metres in diametre with a wooden fence and boundary ditch. The settlement would be surrounded by small plots with crops planted. Sometimes Fogou's were constructed within the settlement and their purpose is much debated by archaologists. Ideas ranging from cold stores, security and religious purposes have often been discussed. Imagine a terrible storm was heading your way with 100MPH winds and you lived in a mud hut! Seems a good place to seek refuge and also protect the crops that you have. So the general consensus is that they were sort of a iron age storm shelter\refuge. This does not mean however that the pictured tunnels in this thread are indeed Fogou's. It would take an investigation by an archeologist to determine this along with some dating material to back it up such as pottery etc.

Having just read this thread I Have found the following information and thought may be some relevance

When the miners at nostell pit were clearing new coal seam's, one day they came across what was described as an underground church which the monks from Nostell Priory had built years ago, this church was complete with tunnels which the monks used to use for transporting coal to the monastery. The church had wooden doors and seating inside, exactly why they built it there underground and for what reason may never be known. The entrance & tunnel was eventually sealed but the church should still be there today unless it has caved in, Local miner and Nostell safety man Leslie Simpson Snr and a fellow miner carved their names into the wood of the church door just before the tunnel was sealed. One theory is that the monks built the underground church to pray and worship in private, the monastery which was built on Nostell Priory got dissolved by Henry VIII in 1540 and could possibly explain the existence of the underground church.

Great addition to the story there. The comments will be passed to Nostel Priory and any reply passed on. A recent adition passed on is from the quarry at Ackton behind the Lodge. Apparently there is an entrance that has appeared. Will have to go and take a look. An update on the tunnel should be ready this summer with a digital film and metal detecting survey.

I was told that there’s a tunnel running to Nostel under a house on Nunns lane, it was found when doing some repairs to a stone floor, I could find out the address if interested but cant confirm if its true or was just pub talk, all I remember was that a brick lined arched tunnel was found that had cast iron candle stick holders hammered into the brick mortar joints. Not sure if the resident of the house would admit it exists as he wouldn’t want his floor digging up again

Interested, oh yes please. please pass on any details you can find.A little tacked will be used.

you have a new message

If it is at all possible i would love to know the address please on the QT of course. Please message me if you can.Reminds me of another tunnel. Just up from Pete Smith motorcycles and on the corner are some houses. Over 25 years ago one house had a full referb. The cellar was cleared and a passage found that led up to the castle. The developer knew he would receive financial repercussions and so the entrance was covered over.